Don't blame me

Page 5

Dear Editor:

Re: Native Suicide

Recently, Canadian media widely reported the suicide death of a 15-year-old Inuit male. Media reported the desolate social conditions experienced by Inuit teenagers and of the psychologically-constrained environment the Inuit are forced to live within.

The abnormally high rate of suicide by Inuit teens was attributed to the long-term effects of sniffing glue and various forms of liquid fuel. Let me note that I did not see one media group consult a doctor to explain the long-term effects of inhaling paint lacquers, airplane glue or fuels. Long-term abuse of such results in severely damaged brain cells.

Especially in the entrapped environment of the Northern Inuit, one would think parents, teachers and social workers would quickly notice such damaging actions. One's attention span is reduced and their power of reason becomes easily confused. Their minds drift and concentration is limited. Such signs are easily detectable.

Media continually reports on the disillusionment experienced by both Inuit and Native teens but fail to ask what and who generates this disillusionment. Media and government continue to impose guilt upon the Canadian society for the problems of the Inuit and Natives. Cleverly this collective guilt transfers into endless amounts of tax dollars being spent on appeasing the said problem. The industry generated in the political appeasement of both Inuit and Natives today results in billions of tax dollars being spent and having the least accountable budget of all federal departments along with the least measurable results.

The transition from child to adult results in challenging social adjustments for all mankind and not just our Aboriginals. Unfortunately the lack of parental discipline, the unmonitored taking of pills, poor sleeping patterns, a bad food diet and then becoming addicted to sniffing solvents for any teenager will eventually lead to abnormal social behavior and potentially suicide whether on a northern reserve or downtown Toronto.

So why are these suicidal conditions most prevalent on Inuit and Native reserves? Our universities teach that teaching self-esteem and

self-responsibility work against the "fixed rank" social order of any tribal society. Thus the qualities that generate the greatest inner strength are frowned upon in the name of playing the game of blaming others and demanding endless compensation for a lost culture.

Endless government agencies have adopted the role of "Big Brother" towards Inuit and Natives. These agencies assume the daily responsibilities for their lives, responsibilities most learned to do for ourselves. Each Canadian Inuit or Native receives more money in aid per person than any single identifiable group in the entire world. This only exaggerates how tax funded, civil servant directed, social change never really improves the lives of anyone. Sorry Bob Rae!

People have to want to change themselves. Spending more tax dollars or continually being encouraged to blame others is not the answer. It all starts with the accountability of the parent.

Whose fault is it when a teenager becomes addicted to sniffing solvents and then commits suicide? It is certainly not mine nor the fault of all the very conscious parents in this country, the same parents who pay heavy taxes and ask for little support. It is not the fault of those who responsibly go to work on Monday mornings to provide for their own teenagers. It is especially not the fault of today's teen whose inner discipline and foresight enables them to graduate as the bridge builder, the car maker, the accountant or the food packaging engineer eight to 10 years from today.

Teen suicide on Native reserves is a problem few will realistically address. Canada's special flavor of Liberalism gladly accepts the responsibility of any that perpetually refuse to accept their own responsibility. This problem will only perpetuate itself if tax dollars are continually spent encouraging these peole to think of themselves as a suppressed minority and impoverished by western imperialism.

Native Elders and civil servants have exchanged the enhancement of individualism, self-responsibility and self-esteem within Native society for tribal dance lessons, learning how their ancestors rationalized seasonal changes and bead and lace work. This "play school" education only enhances the partnership between managing civil servants and the politically controlled, autocratic fiefdoms present today on the majority Native reserves.

The "feel-good" history being taught in schools accompanying Canada's politically correct, legislated equality has prevented Canadians from the hard to face logic that only some societies can be based on a democratic system, which by its very nature supersedes the cultural expression of tribalism. Tribalism like communism creates its own social limitations.

While becoming ever more exposed to the endless potential of Western culture (e.g. TV) isolated Native teenagers become increasingly perplexed by what they see compared to what they are taught. This creates identity conflict and thus confusion. Extended confusion leads to self-abuse and potentially suicide on or off reserves.

Jud Cyllorn

Vancouver